Synonym Chooser

How does the verb extirpate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of extirpate are eradicate, exterminate, and uproot. While all these words mean "to effect the destruction or abolition of something," extirpate implies extinction of a race, family, species, or sometimes an idea or doctrine by destruction or removal of its means of propagation.

many species have been extirpated from the area

When is eradicate a more appropriate choice than extirpate?

Although the words eradicate and extirpate have much in common, eradicate implies the driving out or elimination of something that has established itself.

a campaign to eradicate illiteracy

When would exterminate be a good substitute for extirpate?

While in some cases nearly identical to extirpate, exterminate implies complete and immediate extinction by killing off all individuals.

exterminate cockroaches

When can uproot be used instead of extirpate?

The words uproot and extirpate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, uproot implies a forcible or violent removal and stresses displacement or dislodgment rather than immediate destruction.

the war uprooted thousands

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of extirpate But by the 1930s, the apex predators had been extirpated from the area, largely due to hunting, government eradication programs and habitat loss. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 July 2025 While both black and brown bears can be found in abundance during a visit, the park made waves in 1995 with the reintroduction of gray wolves, an iconic species that was extirpated from the region in the early 20th century. Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Wildlife officials have collared a dozen gray wolves in Northern California in an effort to better understand and manage the species that has made a comeback in the state after being extirpated a century ago. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for extirpate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extirpate
Verb
  • Bonacini wants gold — a sterilizing cure that eradicates every trace of the virus and cannot return.
    Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Israel's government says the offensive is aimed at eradicating Hamas, which still holds Israeli hostages.
    Aya Batrawy, NPR, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But the party ended not long after kickoff, in a brutal blowout loss that managed to erase nine months of hope and hype in a single 60-minute package.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The latest federal labor data shows mothers are leaving their jobs at rates that threaten to erase the fragile gains made during the pandemic recovery.
    Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Chinese leader, who assumed the presidency in 2013, abolished term limits in 2018.
    Evelyn Cheng,Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Bolsonaro and his allies are facing charges of leading an armed criminal organization, attempting to abolish Brazil’s democratic order by force, plotting a coup d’état, and committing violent acts against state institutions.
    Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Acosta allowed it, and IMG destroyed them.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Later, Howard calls Matt and agrees to cut the sequence but also threatens to destroy him.
    Carson Blackwelder, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Extirpate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extirpate. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

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